May I Interest You in a Plethora of Party Pants?

During holiday party season, dresses start to act a lot like your classic middle school science lab partner nemesis: They take all the credit even though you were the one who stayed up all night writing the results and analysis for your final report. In the case of this tenuous metaphor, “you” are pants (stay with me here). Dresses get all the hype and attention despite the fact that PANTS are the ones actually keeping us warm. (Are we all on the same page here?) I think this happens because dresses have a reputation of being innately more festive by virtue of the fact that, at this time of year, wearing them is an act of weather-averse frivolity. Pants, on the other hand, are bound to utilitarianism simply because they’re a practical winter attire choice. And that’s how we routinely end up with endless shopping and styling guides for party dresses but an absolute dearth of literature regarding party pants.

Reader, I have made it my personal mission to correct this imbalance. Please keep scrolling for a roundup of the best pants-that-like-to-party on the market right now, so you can have your egg nog (keep warm) and sip it, too (feel festive).

Party Pants That Will Keep You Toastier Than a Hot Cross Bun

If you’re going to party below the belt with a pair of party pants, you might as well take full advantage of their reputation for warmth. Quilted puffer pants are a great place to start, especially when they come in a shade of yellow so bright it probably counteracts seasonal affective disorder. Pant equivalents of sweaters are also fine options as well, like these ribbed cashmere ones that look like gingerbread and these trousers made from alpaca, cashmere, and wool. If you’re a skinny pant gal, how about these blue velvet dreamboats? Not a fan of skinnies but very much a fan of velvet? I’ve got the party pants for you. And lastly, as we learned from none other than Ross Geller, leather pants are a supreme source of potential warmth–and a chic one to boot.

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Party Pants That Are Uniquely Comfortable

If comfort is a priority in addition to party-readiness, I can assure you there are pants that service both with flying colors. I wore this shiny pair in a shoot that accompanied my trend story about blazers and can attest that they’re a slam-dunk for this category. I could have easily slept in them, a hypothetical these pajama-style pants offer as well. You also can’t get comfier or festive-er than a plaid legging or silver lamé pants with an elasticized waist (these are good where elasticized waists are concerned, too).

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Party Pants That Were Born to Sway Under a Sprig of Mistletoe

A warning to all disco balls: these pants are likely to give you a run for your captivating qualities. They’re also magnets for the holiday party equivalent of a summer dance floor make-out, which is obviously a winter mistletoe peck. Anything with sequins is an automatic win here. Bonus points if the sequins are accompanied by a jaunty kick flare. If your festive feelings are tripled by the presence of plaid, try these on sale for $69.75. And if you really want to shake things up like the majestic human kaleidoscope you are, then I highly suggest investigating these.